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January Brings Cold and Snowy Conditions to Delaware to Begin 2014

Posted on Thu 02/20/14, Updated 02/24/14

Delaware’s Climate during January 2014 was characterized by colder than normal temperatures and below normal precipitation values. Although total precipitation was below normal across the State, 2014 ranked as the 4th snowiest January since records began in 1948.

January Temperatures

Statewide average temperature in January was 31.4°F according to preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). This was 3.1°F below the 1981-2010 normal of 34.5°F (Figure 1) and was more than 5.5°F colder than January 2013. Although cold, this January ranks as only the 34th coldest January since records began in 1895.

January Precipitation

Statewide precipitation in January averaged 2.58 inches, 0.85 inches below the 1981-2010 mean of 3.43 inches (Figure 2). Many areas of the state saw substantial snowfall during the month with portions of northern and central Delaware receiving more than 18 inches (Figure 3).

Statewide Spatial Averages

Mean monthly temperatures were well below normal across the entire state and at all DEOS stations (deos.udel.edu) in January, with the largest negative temperature anomalies found across southern and coastal Sussex County (Figure 4).

Figure 3. January 2014 snowfall totals based upon DEOS station data.

Figure 4. 2013 January 2014 average temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data.